New data on beneficial effects of co-administration of CAR peptide with treprostinil in experimental pulmonary hypertension

GOLETA — Vascular BioSciences (VBS) presented new data on a preclinical study showing that cyclic CARSKNKDC (CAR) peptide targets pulmonary vascular endothelium and enhances the efficacy of treprostinil in experimental pulmonary hypertension at the 2019 American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference that took place on May 17th–22nd in Dallas, TX.

On Tuesday, May 21st, VBS presented Abstract A4401 – Cyclic CAR Peptide Targets Pulmonary Vascular Endothelium and Enhances the Efficacy of Prostacyclin in Experimental Pulmonary Hypertension
(https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2019.199.1_MeetingAbstracts.A4401). This research, performed in collaboration with Drs. Paul Yu and Aaron Waxman of Brigham and Women’s (BWH) Hospital and Harvard Medical School, was presented by Dr. Lai Ming Yung of BWH at the Poster Discussion Session in Room C141/C143/C149 (Level 1) from 9:15am¬–11:15am.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a highly morbid disease characterized by progressive obliteration of the pulmonary vasculature. Current therapies including prostacyclin can improve functional status, but function as non-selective vasodilators and are limited by their systemic side effects.

CARSKNKDC (CAR), a synthetic cyclic peptide with high homology to heparin-binding domains, was identified from a phage-screen targeting soft-tissue wounds. CAR functions as a homing peptide to the vascular wall of remodeled vessels in experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension, but not systemic nor pulmonary vessels of normal animals. We hypothesized CAR peptide might synergize with the effects of treprostinil, a prostacyclin derivative with improved pharmacokinetics, upon PH in a preclinical model.

Results of preclinical studies with PH in animal models show that CAR appears to potentiate the efficacy of treprostinil in reducing PH and mortality when administered in a delayed fashion. Data suggests CAR peptide could be a potent adjuvant therapy with additive benefit beyond existing PH treatments.

CEO of Vascular BioSciences, David Mann, commented, “We are excited to have brought our research again to the PAH research community at this year’s ATS meeting. This presentation highlighted our successful experiments in establishing the synergy of CAR peptide as an adjuvant with chronic prostanoid treatment in pulmonary hypertension.”

About Vascular BioSciences
Vascular BioSciences is a biopharmaceutical and medical device company with operations in California and North Carolina, founded to develop targeted solutions for serious and difficult-to-treat cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases in order to enhance and prolong human life.

VBS has developed CARSKNKDC (CAR) peptide for the targeted delivery of therapies.